B2 – Upper Intermediate
Lunch break is a good chance for workers to disconnect from their work while enjoying their meal. Some workers prefer to bring a packed lunch from home while others like to dine out with their colleagues.
This is a break during the workday where workers can relax and decide what they want to do and what they will have for lunch. What if your company imposes what you should eat for lunch and charge you for it regardless if you consume it or not?
Let’s read the article and know more about this unfair long-standing policy that docks Waffle House employees’ paychecks.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/waffle-house-mandatory-meal-deductions_n_66017bebe4b08460c3e7d35a
Vocabulary Questions:
- What does “to live paycheck to paycheck” mean? “Many Waffle House workers are living paycheck to paycheck and do not have stable housing and transportation.” Use it in a sentence.
- What does the verb “spearhead” mean? “It formed last year out of the union’s long-running Fight for $15 campaign, which spearheaded fast food strikes and helped spur minimum wage hikes around the country.” Use it in a sentence and give two synonyms.
- What is the meaning of the idiom “to work for scraps and pennies“? “One employee told the outlet they were working for scraps and pennies.” Use it in your own sentence.
Discussion Questions:
- What are the details of Waffle House’s mandatory meal deduction policy?
- What is your opinion on this clause in the Waffle House manual? “Meals must be consumed at the [restaurant] and no food can be taken home under this meal policy. Any food actually taken home by such an Associate will be considered a ‘To Go’ order and must be paid for at full price.“
- Is mandatory meal deduction in restaurant industry allowed in your country? What are the requirements?
- What are the working conditions of minimum wage workers in your country?
- Share some other ridiculous policies you’ve heard some companies have.
2 replies on “Waffle House Under Fire for Mandatory Meal Deductions”
1. The Waffle House’s mandatory meal deduction policy consists of deducting the cost of the meals by 3$ per shift from their workers no matter if they eat it or not. Besides, another condition imposed by the company is that they cannot take away their meal, instead they have to eat it at work before or after their shift, which mean that sometimes they do not enjoy their break. By staying in your workplace, anyone can ask them for help if it is crowded and this extra time is not paid.
2. I do not understand why the restaurant has this clause in their policy. It should be forbidden. The only explanation I find it is that by staying at their workplace during the break, anyone can ask them for help if the restaurant is crowded and as the overtime is not considered, the restaurant receives even more profits from its employees.
3. I have never worked for a company which gives meal at work; therefore, I cannot give any opinion on it. Among the benefits my company has is the option of receiving restaurant tickets. We can choose how much money we want to spend per month and which restaurant we want to eat at. The total amount is deducted from our wages, but it is not compulsory and some people such as me prefer to bring their own meal from home and not use this benefit.
4. I suppose that the working conditions of minimum wage workers are the same as any other worker in Spain. All the companies have to comply with Labor Regulation regardless their condition. Other different thing would be considered discrimination.
5. Many years ago, I was working in a small company which did not allow us to have lunch outside the office. The reason was that if the phone rang during our break, we would have to pick it up, in case that a new client could be interested in doing business…. Completely ridiculous !!!!
You are doing a great job writing your answers to your every lesson.
The transition word “besides” is not necessary in this sentence. Also, look at the other minor changes you can make to improve this response.
Until your next entry.